Yesterday, we reported on the statement several kernel developers had signed that urged hardware manufacturers to open up their Linux modules and drivers. "We, the undersigned Linux kernel developers, consider any closed-source Linux kernel module or driver to be harmful and undesirable," the statement read. Nvidia, which delivers probably the most prominent closed-source Linux driver, has reiterated its position concerning this matter.

Right...except for the fact that they can't ship with the binary nvidia drivers and therefore provide a working linux desktop out of the box...yeah, I'm sure distros love it!

Actually they can. It is their choice to not do so. There are distributions out there that distribute them with nVidia drivers.

No one is suggesting (at least not me) that nvidia drop their binary driver. Just stop making crappy excuses like IP, and possibly support with documentation or help out the nouveau devs who have the thankless task of reverse engineering nvidia cards.

Since when did responsibility to shareholders and being fiscally responsible equate to crappy excuses? nVidia's IP is worth millions to them.

"Right...except for the fact that they can't ship with the binary nvidia drivers and therefore provide a working linux desktop out of the box...yeah, I'm sure distros love it!

Actually they can. It is their choice to not do so. There are distributions out there that distribute them with nVidia drivers.

No one is suggesting (at least not me) that nvidia drop their binary driver. Just stop making crappy excuses like IP, and possibly support with documentation or help out the nouveau devs who have the thankless task of reverse engineering nvidia cards.

Since when did responsibility to shareholders and being fiscally responsible equate to crappy excuses? nVidia's IP is worth millions to them. "

Distributing a compiled and linked version of the nvidia binary drivers is a GPL violation. Those who does it, are not doing it legally.

"[q]Right...except for the fact that they can't ship with the binary nvidia drivers and therefore provide a working linux desktop out of the box...yeah, I'm sure distros love it!

Actually they can. It is their choice to not do so. There are distributions out there that distribute them with nVidia drivers.

No one is suggesting (at least not me) that nvidia drop their binary driver. Just stop making crappy excuses like IP, and possibly support with documentation or help out the nouveau devs who have the thankless task of reverse engineering nvidia cards.

Since when did responsibility to shareholders and being fiscally responsible equate to crappy excuses? nVidia's IP is worth millions to them. "

Distributing a compiled and linked version of the nvidia binary drivers is a GPL violation. Those who does it, are not doing it legally. [/q]

Actually, it isn't. If you read posts from Linus himself, he does not believe the nVidia driver to be a GPL violation, nor distribution of it to be.

Nor has your theory ever been tested in court.

As such, I prefer to take Linus' public view on this and say that it does not.